Re-use and Inspiration: Now this is what I am talking about!

I am not your usual haus frau, as those who know me personally can attest to the fact.  I enjoy “doing it my ownself”, as a method of learning and getting the satisfaction of a completed and personalized project with often the added bonus of a cost savings.  If I can re-use and save the dump from additional waste and landfill, that is one other benefit to be had that impacts more than just one person.

As such, I have an open mind as to where I purchase household building products and items, as well as being able to walk into these establishments knowing that a visit can often be a miss.  But, at times there is the great satisfaction of a hit or a spectacular find.  You also might find that you walk into one of these warehouse stores with a list of items that you need or want for projects and in the process find you leave with a gem.

The DC Metro area is dotted with building materials donation and re-use warehouse/stores.  With each of the three organizations I have touched upon in this piece, I have provided links that can provide you access to more information.  Plus it should help get you started on opening up your mind, reducing the amount of landfill and potentially save you some money when it comes to building materials purchase and consumption chain.

The link for Community Forklift,  located in Hyattsville, MD has a page dedicated to items and projects that customers have shared about their use of products that they purchased or have taken from the free bin, at that particular store.  This is inspirational and this is what I am talking about in terms of having an open mind when it comes to donation of new and used materials, as well as how others can re-use and recycle with a creative flare:

http://communityforklift.com/creations.cfm

Personally, I have never visited the Community Forklift location.  But, it is definitely a hot item on my to-do list.

Habitat for Humanity has resale stores for materials and household goods supplied by personal donations, as well as contractors, home builders and building supply stores, such as Home Depot.  There stores go by the name ReStore and you can find out more and store locations via the URL listed below:

http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore.aspx

The Winchester, VA ReStore is very active in posting new additions to the store inventory via their FaceBook.com page.  If you are looking for something in particular or like to surf, check out their new postings and photographs to include incoming merchandise.

In the near future, I will post one of my projects that is in process.  It is the garage here at O’Dea-O’Dea and what I refer to as Mr. O’Dea’s second man cave.  (The first man cave is the finished basement.)

The garage is still in total chaos and is a combination find out what is in there, as well as clean-up and organization project.  I have actually told myself, that I need to remain calm and this is not one singular project.  But, it is a series of projects over time.  For one, this space is packed full of emotion, as well as “stuff” and it is best to work in bites rather than a binge.

Plus, I will digress, something within the man cave had or still has an invisible dose of poison ivy oil on it that got on my skin and was severe enough for me to have to visit the dermatologist and get a prescription of steroids, etc. to ease the inflammation.  If there is hesitation on re-entering the man cave to continue this project this is a reason to add to the list.

Back to the garage a.k.a. the main level man cave:

One of the cabinet sections of the "Teddy" on the floor at ReBuild

The eight foot tall, formerly built-in bookcase (one piece) and the separate cabinet set with built in shelving (three pieces) that I purchased from ReBuild, North Springfield, VA.  This is another like store/warehouse that got its humble beginnings from its association with deconstruction of buildings and interior spaces.  The URL for ReBuild:  http://www.rebuildwarehouse.org/businesspartners.htm.

Some items, you might see or purchase might have a history or an interesting background.  When talking to the ReBuild men that delivered the custom cabinets, I was told that they had removed them from the study at former Senator,Ted Kennedy's townhouse in Washington, DC. 

Now, I know where to store any liquor in the house.  It goes out to the “Teddy”!     ;^)

They added, that as part of that deconstruction project, that the kitchen that had just been renovated two years prior was also removed and included such wonderful appliances as Subzero™ brand. 

Now those types of appliances showing up at the store they are associated with would make most hearts skip a beat.

The first time I had visited that store, was prior to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and at that time, they had this impressive section of fence and gates that were also from that townhouse deconstruction project.  I actually pondered many a time about purchasing the lot just for the heavy duty gates and impressive non-standard heavy metal hardware.  But, I resisted and instead made a mental note of what I might want to use and build in the future.

Tips for a successful and comfortable outing include being prepared to get dirty and bring such items as an SUV or pick-up truck to haul larger purchases home.  Or find out if they offer delivery (ReBuild charges $65 for general local delivery) if they can recommend a moving service provider for deliveries.

Not certain whether an item has the proper measurements, make, model, specifications required or perhaps you need to more about general value and potential cost for additional materials and installation.  Ask what the stores “HOLD” policy is and clarify if the time period extends over days that the store is closed or not.  EX:  If you see an item that you would like to have held on Sunday 3 PM and the store does not open again until Tuesday at 10 AM, when is the item no longer being held?

At certain times of the year these stores will have sales with reduced pricing on selected items or if they receive a large quanitity of inventory of a particular type of item, i.e. flooring they might hold a sale for 50% off on all flooring materials.

Be brave.  Be bold and ask if ever reduce prices or have sales on items and if so when.

Hint... Hint... Holiday weekends are normally when most individuals tend to clean and purge their households of items for donation.  Therefore, organizations and stores that receive donations often try to make room for incoming merchandise. 

ReBuild, for example, normally has percentage off sale of listed goods the week prior to a holiday that falls on a Monday.  The three piece Teddy cabinetry went from the tag price to 50% off when I purchased it the week prior to the 4th of July.  $500 down to $250 for the entire set of custom wood cabinets and shelving.

Some of the items that I carry on these hunting expeditions include:

·         Tape measure

·         Notebook

·         Pen and/or pencil

·         Digital camera (cell phone camera will suffice, as long as it has a built-in flash)

·         Flashlight (to aid in checking dark areas of the stores, as well as under and around objects for defects, model #, etc.)

·         Written notes with dimensions and details of the space and items needed for a project.  If very specific make, model number and finish are needed, make certain you have your details with you.

·         Hand cleaner and paper towels

·         Work gloves

My rational is that most of the items are a mere fraction of the cost of manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP).  Per chance, if the item or material is not suitable or does not work out than donate it back to the store you purchased it from or post it on a site such as Craigslist.org and attempt to re-coop the funds.

Some people gamble at casinos or by purchasing lottery tickets.  I can be honest with myself and others and admit that I sometimes take a gamble by spending a little cash on building materials and items for the house.  I can truly be a risk and rewards situation.  But, I find that usually the rewards far outweigh the risks.

Cha-ching! $ !

What is...The Reading Material Next to My Bed

The spill of reading material beside my bed, as of 29 September 2010:

BOOKS -

o   “Broken:  My Story of Addiction and Redemption”, by William Cope Moyers with Katherine Ketcham

(In process, half-way through the book)

o   “Walden” or “Life in the Woods”, by Henry D. Thoreau (Completed)

o   “10,000 Jokes, Toasts & Stories” by Lewis Copeland and Faye Copeland

(Stays by my bed for reading.  The large bound book was copyrighted 1939 and 1940 and includes a collection of jokes, toast and stories from that era that gives you a glimpse of the past.  Sort of like a modern day collection of Internet jokes and short stories.)

o   “Mother-Daughter Wisdom”, by Christine Northrup, M.D.

(I have not begun to read.  PBS often airs shows that she hosts when they have their on-air fund raising.)

REFERENCE BOOKS -

o   “Getaways:  Carefree Retreats for All Seasons”, by Chis Casson Madden.

o   “Ideas for Great Tile”, by Josh Garskof, published by Sunset Books.

o   “The Pleasure of Gardening:  Courtyards & Containers”, published by Better Home and Gardens Books.

o   The Home Depot, “Decorative Painting 1-2-3.  From Prep to Clean-up:  A Complete Guide to Interior Painting, published by Meredith Books.

o   “Decorating with Paint & Wall Coverings”, published by Sunset Books.

o   “The Complete Book of Paint:  A Comprehensive Guide to Paint Techniques for Walls, Floors, Furniture, Fabrics, and Metalwork”, by David Carter and text by Charles Hemming.

o   “Paint & Colors”, by Jessica Elin Hirschman with photography by Tim Street-Porter.

o   “The Best of Martha Stewart Living, Holidays:  Recipes, gifts, decorations, Thanksgiving & Christmas.

o   “The South Beach Diet, Parties & Holidays Cookbook:  Healthy Recipes for Entertaining Family and Friends, by Arthur Agatston, MD.

o   “Cooking With The 60-Minute Gourmet:  300 Rediscovered Recipes from Pierre Franey’s Classic New York Times Column”, by Pierre Franey and Bryan Miller with Foreword by Jacques Pepin and Introduction by Claduia Franey Jensen.

o   “Working From Home:  Everything You Need to Know About Living and Working Under the Same Roof”, by Paul and Sarah Edwards.

MAGAZINES AND CATALOGS -

o   L. L. Bean, Fall 2010

o   The Sportsman’s Guide HQ

o   Chico’s, 2010 Fall 3

o   Restoration Hardware:  Reinvented. Remodeled. Reborn, Behold Our Fall Collection, 2010

o   Restoration Hardware Garden, Summer Garden Sale, 2010

o   Pottery Barn, October 2010, Welcome Fall

o   Charles Schwab “On Investing:  Strategies & Ideas for Clients of Charles Schwab, Fall 2010”

o   Better Homes and Gardens, October 2010

o   House Beautiful, October 2010

Home Owner's Association Meet & Greet BBQ

On Sunday, 26 September, after several years of no activity within the subdivision home owner's association, we had our first organized get together.  This event was an informal and socializing only meet & greet BBQ for neighbors to introduce themselves and have the opportunity to talk prior to our first formal meeting this coming Wednesday PM.


The subdivision does own 2.5 acres of common property.  But, since the open grassy area is located at the entrance to the subdivision the best place to hold the BBQ was at the cul-du-sac circle.  The BBQ and seating area was then set-up at the end of several of the properties that are shaped like pie slices with very little road frontage beyond their driveways and a slip of grass bordering each side.


Excellent location, as it gave neighborhood children the freedom to ride their bicycles and play in a large, open and paved area with adult supervision.


The event was convenient and relaxed with everyone pitching in to bring tables, their own chairs, meat they wanted to grill, a dish to share and BYOB.


Here in Northern Virginia, it rained until late morning and I was certain that the outdoor BBQ would be cancelled.  But, the sun did grace us with some rays in the afternoon and at last the weather has become tolerable with less humidity and the temperatures usually not exceeding 90 during the day.


It wasn't until an hour and a half prior to the scheduled start time that I spoke to the planner and discovered that in spite of the rain that had recently stopped that the plans were to hold the BBQ.


Time to spring into preparatory action and I must say, what a time saver and wonderful tool the Internet can be, as I could not find my "Joy of Cooking" recipe book to reference the recipe for cole slaw that I wanted to use.  Plus, I had seen a variation of a recipe for southern home brewed sweet tea that included a pinch of baking soda of all things to remove the sometimes bitterness that can develop with brewed tea.


The "Joy of Cooking" cole slaw recipe is available by using the hyperlink to the left.


A coworker was the person that introduced me to this basic recipe.  I ended up hunting her down for the recipe after one of our pot luck parties.  She ended up sharing that it was a trusted, old basic recipe of cabbage and carrots that she had thrown in the variation of adding some chopped red pepper for a bit of flavor, as well as a bright accent color and roughly 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce added to the dressing recipe. 


Why did I love it so much?  She accidentally added too much vinegar, as she was distracted while preparing and discovered that it was an improvement.


My variation additional variations are to use raw apple cider vinegar, as well as adding a teaspoon of ground horse radish and a half a teaspoon of dried dill weed.


Now sweet tea is a staple in a southern kitchen and dining establishments and has finally spread to other regions courtesy of fast food chains such as McDonald's and soft drink beverage distributors.  If you want an excellent and easy recipe to use at home, here is one below that gets rave reviews.

Ingredients:

• 1 pinch baking soda
• 2 cups boiling water
• 6 tea bags (decaffeinated tea may be substituted)
• 3/4 cup white sugar (or substitute sweetener)
• 6 cups cold water

Prep.:

• Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64 ounce, heat-proof, pitcher. Pour in boiling water and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
• (or) boil water in a pot on the stove and add tea bags and allow to steep, if you are not sure if the pitcher or drink vessel is heat proof.
• Remove tea bags and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cold water and refrigerate until cold.
• (or) fill tall glasses with crushed ice and insert an ice tea spoon into the glass to dissipate any residual heat and serve immediately. 

What is...The Most Uncomfortable Seat In The House

On with the series of "What is..." 

This readers is the most uncomfortable seat in the house. 

Do not be fooled by the custom slipcovers, silk pillows or needlepoint piece over the back.  This is actually two upholstered chairs with a single arm per chair that I determined looked more suitable pushed together.

Another fine example of re-use, as well as a future reupholstering project. 

I would venture to say that these chairs are circa 1940's or 1950's due to the style - curved lower backside, light maple or similar wood simple square legs and original upholstery that lies hiding under the slip covers.  Sides and back are upholstered in a gold jacquard fabric and the front has a military, dark olive green fabric with what might be small bunches of feather plumes scattered about.

Of late, I have been purging and I seriously considered retaining at least one of the very comfortable camel back love seats and putting it in this spot of the living room.  But, I could not force myself to do it, as the arms of the camel back love seats were approximately 2.5" wide each.

Personal preference, as I do not care for large, over stuffed furniture in most rooms.  If you have a large room that can handle that scale of furniture, more power to you to carry that style off.

So, off went the wonderfully comfortable love seats to a men's half-way house, as a charitable donation and here sits my future project staring me in the face. 

I confess, the seats are as hard as a solid park bench.  But, at least it looks decent.

On a positive note, my heart skipped a beat, when I recently found the beautiful wool needlepoint and blue velvet backed piece.  (This is what I have draped over the back of the two chairs.)  It does wonders for tying the two chairs together into a unified seating area, as well as complimenting the Chinese Oriental carpet.

If any of you readers has a handle and knowledge of Asian symbols and can identify those on the needlepoint center and/or the carpet, please, please educate me.

Looking at situations in a different light.  One of my hints for home goods scouting is before Christmas, if you like the color palettes associated with the holidays.  Then follow-up immediately after Christmas with shopping, when the stores want to quickly move so called holiday items out of inventory.

The off-white, genuine silk pillows with center rhinestone accent, are a good example of the holiday decor that stores sell that can be interlaced with your year round home decor. 

I found these pillows at Target, a handful of years ago, after Christmas, as well as another set in violet that I purchased for an accent in a mostly bright green decorated bedroom.

The dusty blue wool throw that is draped over one of the arms is from Pottery Barn.  It has a subtle off-white or light tan paisley design woven into the fabric.  A nice throw to have on a cold night in this room that has a cathedral ceiling that opens up to a second floor bedroom.

What is...On My Coffee Table

Indulge me for the sake of my mother who has yet to visit O'Dea-O'Dea and I hope will be shown my blog and photos by another family member.  Or for those of you with an inquisitive mind and an eye for individual design style indulge and read on.

The living room, as I have mentioned before, has an Asian theme.  A mixture of Japanese and Chinese decor that adds color, texture and interest to the space.  The coffee table is an older Japanese style wood with Japanese scenes painted on the three sections under glass.  Painted on paper, it sadly has begun to deteriorate.  The boarders of the table have a subtle gold floral stencil.

The main items that I keep on the coffee table: 

• A bright box with a dome shaped lid and a red tassel (formerly a Whole Foods, Christmas Cookie Box) that is filled with glass coasters.
• The glass coasters are a mixture of older coaster/ashtrays with embellished band of silver around the edge.  I am not sure what decade these were popular (though I imagine 1960's or 1970's when smoking was still popular), but I recently found a new, unused set of four (4) in the box.  For those of you that are interested in their origin, they were manufactured by Leonard and made in Italy.  (Hint...hint...  Use the coasters when you visit.  Resting you beverage on an unprotected surface is taboo in O'Dea-O'Dea.)

• A lacquered and Asian candy dish decorated with a circle of golden fish that is filled with candies.
• A ceramic red and orange poppy accent dish filled with brightly decorated and lacquered chop sticks and letter openers with a variety of painted ducks at the top.

• Brightly potted chrysanthemums.*

*The current floral pieces were a compromise, as when I went to the store to purchase white carnations the store was sold out.  Instead, I purchased these chrysanthemums that caught my eye with their bright autumn colors and were available for approx. $5 a plant.  (A compromise, but actually a much longer lasting set of autumn floral arrangements than cut flowers and at a lower total cost.)

The pots are old decorative and hand painted pots made in Italy.  They are potted using pea gravel as the base within the pot to pull water away from the roots and a finished top of pea gravel to keep out Lord Fairfax, Urban Tiger, as well as dirt and water from back splashing onto the table when watered.

A Couple of Current Low Cost Options for TALL Women's Leggings & Military Cargo Pants

It is a flashback to the 1990's fashion wise when it comes to the return of leggings for women.  They are showing up in fashion magazines and last week I saw a fashionable pregnant woman with a pair on standing in front of me in line at the cash register.

For a moment, I thought. "Should I ask her where she got her leggings?" 

Dispensed that thought, as the response was more than likely going to be some maternity store such as a Pea in the Pod.

When I got home I searched on-line with the keywords "Tall Leggings" and came across another woman's blog recommending the tall size leggings she had purchased from Newport News.  She stated that they were on sale for under $20 and that they were more than adequate in length for her tall build when ordered in the tall size.

After looking over their website, I think that being the bargain hunter, that I am going to first take advantage of their offer to purchase a discounted gift card in the denomination of $50.  Total cost will only be $40 with the current offer of a 20% discount for cards under $100.

If you opt to get a $100 or $100+ card they offer a 25% discount off of the purchase price.  Super deal, if you find more items to purchase or want to Christmas shop at a later date or give the cards directly as gifts.

I will have to have patience and wait for the gift card to arrive in the mail prior to making the order to take advantage of the 20% discount*.  But, thinking dollars and having some sense, I think I can hold out.
For my tall girlfriends, I am not certain if their regular leggings tall length of 31.5" inseam is sufficient, as shown in this item #'s tall version:

Simply Must-Have Slim Leggings - $12.

Our simply must-have smooth cotton leggings with spandex stretch comfort. 28½" inseam (26½", Petite; 31½" Tall). Machine wash. USA.

There is another style that has a 34" inseam, that I plan on ordering in black and white:

So-Coveted Scrunch Leggings - $16.

Our scrunch leggings with extra-long legs to scrunch at the ankles. Slim fit. Cotton/spandex. 34" inseam. Machine wash. USA.

In terms of taking advantage of the gift card purchase first and then purchasing the leggings with the card.  It is a risk, they may not have your color and size if you wait to get the card first and then order.  Also, please check current availability of sizes and colors, as I noticed that the brown is not available in my size for the scrunch leggings.  Only black and white color options.

I am still receiving all of these sportsman catalogs; which often times have some pretty interesting gizmo's, gadgets and gear in them.  One catalog that I just received is The Sportsman's Guide:  HQ  Military Surplus Headquarters.  Inside I noticed an advertisement for a pair of women's new military cargo pants available in tall sizes for the drop down bargain price of $24.97 for two pairs. 

That is correct.  Two pairs!

NOTE:  Thursday PM, I ordered around 2000 ET on-line and was given notification that the size 8 Tall is currently not available until 10/25/10.  I went ahead and proceeded with the order and will let you know in a little over a month what I think of the pants once I receive them.

(*Shipping and handling charges will be incurred once I order.  So, the $10 in reality registers as covering shipping charges in my head.)

The Tree House Apres Tree Going Through The Roof

Tibet

Tibet came to me in the late autumn of 2009.  He had been a stray kitten on the streets of Tampa that had been taken to a shelter dehydrated, emaciated, upper respiratory infection, and infected with worms and other parasites.

My niece, who volunteers for a cat rescue organization in Tampa ended up nursing the approximately six month old "Coco" back to health and fostering him until he could be placed at the local PetsMart for adoption.

How did he end up here....  I will have to come back and edit the story later.

Here is a slightly older photo from this past winter of Tibet that shows the fur on his body before changing from Siamese kitten off-white to seal point chocolate brown.

Lucy Lui

Updated Status -
Lucy Lui will be moving at the beginning of February 2011, as my cat lady neighbor had wanted to keep her after she took her to the vets in June 2010.  But, was unable to at thaet time.

She should be much happier, as my neighbor is the one that fed her for the majority of the years she was a stray/feral and is actually able to pet her.

Lucy Lui, also comes running to great her when the neighbor comes to visit.  (No, she doesn't do that with anyone else nor is she sociable with other cats.

History:

Lucy Lui has been in the neighborhood since at least summer of 2006, as a young adult, when I first spied her and very similar looking sibling together a couple of blocks from my house. 

Lucy Lui in her classic doorstop pose

After I caught Mason, in the late summer of 2006, I was told by a couple of other neighbors that they had seen another orange and white kitten also coming up to my house during the day to eat the food. 

Concerned for the health and safety of the other kitten, I contacted Cats Are Tops and one of the members, Lydia came to the house several times, in the mornings to bait the trap and wait for a kitten or a cat to come.

We never saw or caught the other orange kitten, but Lucy was immediately enticed by the fish and was caught and taken to the veterinary hospital for a check-up, shots and to be neutered.

When Lydia brought her back to release her, she told me that the vet had decided not to clip the end of her ear, as he couldn't tell if she was someone's pet or not.  She also informed me that according to the vet she had at least one litter of kittens in her life.

From 2006 to the winter of 2009, Lucy remained a feral and was mostly fed by my cat lady neighbor. 

Lucy used to come through my tree house yard at dusk.  Skim along the edge of the back property line and make her way through a hole in the fence on her way down the street for dinner.

Here in VA, we had a not so normal winter of 2009.  In December, we had the first large snow storm and then proceeded to get hit repeatedly through February.

Not only was the cat lady neighbor able to convince another feral cat that she was feeding to take shelter in her garage, but Lucy, in spite of Black Jack's, alpha male territorial dominance stuck her ground and made her home in the garage, as well.

Come late spring, cat lady said that she thought that she might be at a point where she could pick-up Lucy and if so was going to take her to the veterinarian office for a complete check-up and shots. 

What prompted this was of all things, Animal Control cited her for not having rabies shots for Black Jack and Lucy Lui.  They told her, if she was feeding them, etc. than they were her cats and were required to have rabies shots and if she failed to comply then a court date had already been set for her to appear (so much for human kindness).

Imagine that.

Next came the million dollar question, laced with some Jewish grandmother guilt from cat lady neighbor "I have a huge favor to ask.  But, seeing how "I" have done so many favors for you.  I was hoping that you would give Lucy a chance and take her into your house once I am able to get her to the vets."

Well, there goes the next eighteen years of my life paying back what?

We were both amazed that after so many years outdoors that Lucy was actually free of feline leukemia and feline aids.  (Thanks for Lydia and Cats Are Tops for coming and trapping her in 2006 and having her fixed and shots, etc.  I am certain that that intervention was critical for a female feral cat to survive in the wild.)

Also, once again, with a different vet, she was gentle and froze, as opposed to going into defensive mode when she was taken out of the carrier for her check-up and shots.  (I swear she is a beautiful cat and at one time, early in her life must have been someone's pet kitten and/or cat.)

Since June 2010, Lucy Lui has been a member of the household.  At first she took over the guest bedroom and was often in the company of Tibet ("I love you Lucy" cat lady and I would sing out as he followed her gently) who admires her and has been desperately looking for other feline companionship.

Come mid August, I finally decided enough of her being enclosed in one room and the other cats feeling as if they were being kept away from something and I opened the door and she has been out ruling the house ever since.

Unlike, Mason, when the doorbell rings or the telephone rings she stays still right out in the open.  Mason, still heads into the safety of a hiding place.

You can't tell me that this brave girl wasn't someone's pet at one time.

The name Lucy Lui, I gave her long ago, as she has a part Siamese and exotic appearance to her with the bright green blue almond eyes and the dark markings of her tail and face.  The majority of the remainder of her body is all white.

She still mostly stays under cover during the day and once dusk comes she is wandering back and forth to the windows wanting me to at least open them a crack so that she can catch the scent of the wild outdoor air and the song of the crickets.

Lucy Lui breathing in the wild outdoor air

Tibet still pines away after her.  But, there has been progress.  She allows Tibet to be within a foot or two of her and this week has even allowed Tibet to be next to her as they both gaze out the open window into the wilds of VA suburbia.

The photos above doe not do her justice.  I will need to get a better photo of her showing the true color of her eyes and post at a later date.

Lex

Status Update:

Lex passed away suddenly on Saturday, 14 August 2010.  He was only three (3) years old.  (He was extremely hyperactive.  More so than Tibet who is only a year old.  Active as a three (3) month old kitten and literally ad climbed the walls and used the hallway wall as a turn as he raced from one room to another.  He also would often pant after having exerted himself physically.  (More than likely, he had an enlarged heart and died of a heart attack.)  He was such a gentle soul and Mason's best friend.)

Lex, formerly called Mr. Whiskers by the neighbor girl that adopted him quickly became Baby Who and I would "borrow" him for play dates with Mason.

He was only about seven weeks old and still had blue eyes and fur that just stuck out making him look ever so cute.

He would come over for his play dates and the teenager that had adopted him would leave him for a day or more at a time.  She had him for weeks and scared me when she asked what to feed him and told me she didn't have a litter box, as of yet.

I packed up some food for her to take home and caught myself not to be an enabler and decided that a litter box is essential.  But, a rather simple thing that as the new caretaker she should be able to provide.

When Baby Who would come for visits, he was such a good little boy.  He immediately used the litter box.  Then he would scout out the food and water bowls and satiate himself.

Mason.  Now Mason just got all wide eyed and glazed eyes when he first came into the house.  What was this larger than a mouse sized creature and what was he to do with it.

It didn't take long for Mason to figure out that unlike Grant that this cat like creature was willing to play.  Play, play, play, non-stop and boy was he a lot of fun.

These two would play until I finally realized that I needed to separate them at night.  I would have to take Lex into the bedroom with me and shut the door and place him on my bed to sleep.

Kittens are either on or off and as soon as he was left alone he would fall into a deep slumber and store up his energy for the next day.

Lex became a permanent member of the household after the teen's brother obtained an adult pit bull.  Not to be one-upped by his sister.  Good grief!

Rather sad, but true, when I went to ask her if she still wanted the kitten she breezed right past me to the waiting car and without any emotion told me "You can keep him.  We have a dog now."

Yes, I was well aware and worried that the dog would make a meal out of the poor kitten.

That was spring of 2007 and Lex was quite the character.  If only others could have seen him run so fast from the living room to the hallway that he'd hit the wall with his feet and run across the wall before launching off and taking the corner to a bedroom.

Lex was the Prince of Annandale Vet Hospital during the time I had to board the cats there due to the tree falling on the house.  Mr. Personality and if he was up for adoption, he would have had someone in a heartbeat.

Mason

A member of the household is Mason, a.k.a. Lord Fairfax, Urban Tiger or Mr. Who.

I caught him when he was approximately twelve weeks old in a cartoon like set-up using a decorative wicker pet carrier basket with food inside and some twine strung through the screen door, as I waited for the feral kitten to get hungry and come for food.

It was the late summer of 2006 and I had one elderly diabetic cat, named Grant and I told myself that I would find this little guy a nice home.

How could I not fall in love with this sweet little orphan.  He had ear mites, fleas and was so tiny.  He would growl and make ferocious noises when I approached him.  Then he would be so content and purr non-stop once I picked him up to hold him.  He even purred through his first bath in the utility room sink where I did my best to clean his little body of mites, fleas and dirt.

Four years later, he rules and thinks that he is now Alpha Male of the household.

Although, he is like the phantom cat to anyone that comes to visit the house.  He is just the opposite when left undisturbed by strangers.

Mr. Who, is the most loving cat that likes to jump on my lap or get onto my chest in the early AM and trap me for some MeMe time and fur petting.

Ah, to be so peaceful and drugged with sleep.  This is why I have to work.  This is why.  Seeing his peaceful face and knowing that he is safe is one good reason why.

Removing Cat Yak Stains from Carpet

If you have an indoor cat, at some point, more than likely you will have to deal with the clean-up of cat yak from your carpet. 


Why?


Because a cat will not run to the porcelain god when they feel a hair ball tickling the back of their throat.  Oh no.  Even if they are on the cool tile of the bathroom floor when that tickle hits them they will move post haste to the lightest and softest carpet that they can get under their feet before they purge.


Hopefully, you did not discover the "gift" on your zero dark hour trip to the bathroom with your bare feet.


As soon as you find said "gift" it is time for the human to spring into action. 


If cat is still hacking and coughing and you think there are more gifts to come.  Quickly scoop them up, no matter how much they protest and deposit them within the confines of the bathroom and shut the door.


Paper towels!  We need paper towels!  Waste basket, where is the wastebasket?


Get both of them in hand and scoop up as much of the gift, as you can and deposit in the trash can you have by your side.


Next, if the area is still stained and has residue.  Soak some crumbled paper towels in water and dab the stained area to attempt to get up as much gift residue as possible.


One item that is your friend, human who keeps cat(s) in your house, is hydrogen peroxide.  Not only is it antiseptic for when your cuddly kitten rakes you with their claws.  But, it is also going to help you now remove that lovely gift stain from your synthetic wall-to-wall carpet.


More crumbled paper towels are needed and saturate with a copious amount of peroxide.  Dab up as much of the stain as you can gently.  Then get a clean paper towel and saturate that with peroxide and rub vigorously to remove the remaining stain and residue.


Voila!  The stain is gone.

Carpet Before:

Carpet After:

O.K.  Relax and wash your hands and make sure you remember to release the furry gift giver from the bathroom.

Magnolia

Pottery Barn has a new bedding collection called Magnolia.  Amazing how one word can flash your memory back to another time and place, such as the word “magnolia” does for my memory.

My freshman college roommate and I both ended up, unbeknownst to one another, applying to other school programs after our second year and she ended up at the University of Texas in Austin and I ended up at University Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

Now she had a slight advantage in terms of life in the south, as she spent many a summer of her youth with her maternal side of the family in North Carolina.

Me, I had spent the summer after my freshman year of college in the suburbs of Houston, TX living with my paternal uncle and his family and had held two summer jobs.  One job was at the Holiday Inn NASA, across from Johnson Space Center as a waitress and the other at a privately owned BBQ restaurant.

Having a pool in the backyard was a daily refresher and source of enjoyment, as was the local young social aspect of “pool parties”.  But, other than developing a bit of a southern accent over the summer, I was not afforded much of an opportunity to the other aspects of southern or southwestern life at that time.

I tell you, nothing compares to the actual experience of landing in Tuscaloosa in the midst of a steamy August day.

The campus, French House where I was to live was locked and unoccupied when I arrived after my long trip from New England to Alabama.  What to do?

Now, we are talking about a time and place before cell phones, global positioning systems (GPS) and even bank automatic teller machines (ATM) kiosk were just coming into existence.  So, I had to look up the address of my program counselor and locate her building in hopes that she would be in the office to assist me with my housing situation.

The French House was a dead end, as the person with the key was the resident French professor that still had not made it into town and wouldn’t arrive for another couple of days.

Now what?

My counselor noticed that I was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority and her next call was to the Delta Zeta Sorority House Mother on Magnolia Drive.  Who as polite as could be told my counselor to please send me on over to the house, as they would be glad to accommodate me for a few days in the house guest bedroom.

I got my bearings via a map of the area and some assistance from my counselor and off I drove to Magnolia Drive.

What a different place for a northern Yankee, as I approached Magnolia Drive I was rather caught off guard by the houses on sorority row.  Tri Delta, former home of actress and model Selma Ward loomed on the corner and down about half way was the Delta Zeta house complete with long white pillars and charming white porch rockers under the cover of the piazza.

Wasting no time in being gracious, I was greeted by one of my Delta Zeta sisters as I drove up into the driveway. 

She was as friendly as could be and quickly made me forget how messed up the permanent housing arraignments were.

I opened the door to the back seat of the car and reached for my suit case and was quickly told “Oh, don’t you worry about that.  Willy will get your bags for you.”

Willy?

Why “yes”, Willy had appeared and to my shock took my bags and whisked them into the lower floor guest bedroom.

Once shown around the house, I learned that sisters were partnered with others for a private “day room” that usually housed a day bed, desk and personal items.  But, at night, they all slept together in bunk rooms.

The dining room was pristine and the ladies that ran it had service down pat.  There is where, I have memories of my first servings of grits and recall the condensation on ice water and iced tea pitchers that were generously dotting the tables.

What a little bee hive of activity and sub-culture of southern lifestyle that house was.  I would literally see my fellow sisters transform over their hour of morning rituals from the girl next-door to picture perfect cover girls in colorful sun dresses.

I was invited to join them as they entertained prospective candidates through rush.   On sorority row, this ritual is called “ice water teas” and consisted of sisters dolled up in their finest sun dresses and as polished if they were going off to the garden party of the season.

Girls rushing the sororities would move from house-to-house on a timed basis and the term “ice water teas” refers to the only refreshment that they were legally allowed to serve for the event.

Those rushing would be greeted by a whole household of Delta Zeta sisters singing “…Daddy thinks it is funny.  How we spend his money.  We are the Delta Z’s.  Talk about the Delta Z’s.  We are the Delta Z girls!”

Then the rushes would stream in and you would attach yourself to a prospective pledge and chat with them up for the allotted time.

It was a period of time, a snapshot of the 1980’s where my memories are a collection of Lanz of Salzburg sun dresses, gold add-a-bead necklaces, colorful and preppy wrap belts and bright embroidered muumuu dresses.

It is also a snapshot of young ladies that know who they are and have the ability to transform themselves into current day gentile southern ladies.

In retrospect, I wish that I had not been so much of a darn Yankee, independent and had stayed in the fold of the comforts of my Delta Zeta sisters and the house.  I can only imagine the memories that I might have gathered up and held in a memory of glossy magnolia leaves and huge beautiful lemony scented flowers.

What a beautiful evergreen tree that has a regal presence when skirted with snow and yet does not fade or droop with the heat of the hot southern, summer sun.

My friend that headed off to UT and I have our own little phrase for that time in our lives, “Say it buddy.  Say “MAG-NOL-IA”.  MAGNOLIA!”